Straight Fire with Jason McIntyre

Latest Episodes:

Is Troy Aikman Moving to ESPN? + Sirius XM NBA Radio host Rick Kamla Feb 24, 2022

Show notes

On today's episode, Jason kicks things off with a few thoughts on the reports that Troy Aikman is leaving FOX to become ESPN's lead Monday Night Football analyst. Sports broadcasting is big business, and Aikman is one of its biggest stars. However, are we sure that Aikman's arrival is bound to boost ESPN's ratings? Are we certain that Aikman's departure will hurt FOX all that much? We'll find out soon enough. Later, Sirius XM NBA Radio host Rick Kamla swings by to discuss why he believes the impending repeal of the vaccine mandate in New York (thus allowing Kyrie Irving to play in home games) makes the Brooklyn Nets the favorites to win the Eastern Conference, why he's still bullish on Giannis Antetokounmpo and the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks, why he believes it's two-horse race for the NBA MVP between Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic, why he's more worried about Draymond Green's back injury than he is about Chris Paul's thumb injury, why he's expecting big things from Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies in the playoffs, Damian Lillard's uncertain future in Portland, the possibility that the Los Angeles Lakers would consider trading away LeBron James or Anthony Davis this summer, and much more!

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Aaron Rodgers is Brett Favre 2.0 + NY Post Sports columnist and author Ian O'Connor Feb 23, 2022

Show notes

On today's episode, Jason kicks things off with a few thoughts on Aaron Rodgers' gotcha-moment on Tuesday in which he was successfully able to convince most of the sports media world that he would be announcing plans regarding his football future in Green Bay… only to come out it say that he just finished a cleanse and was feeling grateful afterwards. We all remember back in the day how irritated Rodgers was that Brett Favre kept waffling about his decision to retire, leaving his teammates, coaches and fans in a state of constant flux – and now Rodgers is doing the exact same thing! Rodgers, like Tom Brady, LeBron James and Favre before him, loves the spotlight and he'll do almost anything to keep it on himself. Later, New York Post sports columnist and author Ian O'Connor swings by to discuss the early reviews of his new book "Coach K: The Rise & Reign of Mike Krzyzewski", how Coach K's lack of involvement while the book was being written was actually pretty beneficial, why the 1980s and 1990s were the pinnacle of college basketball, why some wanted Coach K out at Duke during his early years, how Johnny Dawkins helped save Coach K's career and started the fire that led to his reign of dominance in the sport, why Coach K's confrontational style of coaching helped make him so successful - and so beloved by his players, why Coach K never ended up making the job to the NBA, how John Scheyer ended up being chosen as Coach K's successor at Duke, and much more!

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Steph Curry Saved All-Star Weekend, LeBron's Plan for Bronny James & The Juwan Howard Slap Game Feb 21, 2022

Show notes

On today's episode, Jason and Producer Rob G kick things off with a quick homage to Steph Curry on the heels of his record-setting performance at the 2022 NBA All-Star Game. Following what many described as a snoozer on All-Star Saturday night, Curry came in and saved the weekend behind a barrage of three pointers. In fact, our fearless leader is ready to declare Steph's big night as the greatest All-Star Game performance since Magic Johnson in 1992. That's some legendary company right there. Later, the guys react to the news that LeBron James is already planning his exit from the Los Angeles Lakers in 2-3 years so that he can play his final NBA season with his son, Bronny. If you've been paying attention at all the past few years it's been pretty obvious that this was LeBron's plan all along, but it still has to be a little jarring if you're a Lakers fan. What's more, with reports circulating that LeBron and Klutch Sports are frustrated with the Lakers front office stemming from their inactivity at the trade deadline, it's becoming even more clear that The King is already planning his exit. Finally, the guys close the show with a few thoughts on Juwan Howard's infamous slap of a Wisconsin assistant basketball coach on Sunday. While neither one is calling for Howard to lose his job over it, it puts a black eye on the program and should absolutely lead to a lengthy suspension; Howard show know better.

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Embiid Can't be the NBA MVP + NBA champion Eddie House Feb 18, 2022

Show notes

On today's episode, Jason kicks things off with a quick discussion about the NBA MVP race on the heels of the Philadelphia 76ers' primetime victory over Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks. After the game, our fearless leader took to Twitter to explain why he has Giannis as the front-runner to win the award at this point in the season... and why he would have a really hard time voting for the odds-on favorite, Joel Embiid. Suffice to say, our fans in Philadelphia aren't going to like this one. Later, NBA champion Eddie House swings by to discuss why he wasn't high on the Los Angeles Lakers even before Anthony Davis' brutal ankle injury, if the Lakers should look to trade AD this offseason, what makes Chris Paul and the Phoenix Suns the best team in the NBA, the seemingly 3-horse MVP race between Embiid, Nikola Jokic and Giannis, if we can trust the upstart Memphis Grizzlies and Cleveland Cavaliers to make some noise in the postseason, how hard it is for rookies to impact winning in the NBA, and much more!

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AD's Ankle Injury is the Nail in the Lakers' Coffin + FOX Sports NBA analyst Ric Bucher Feb 17, 2022

Show notes

On today's episode, Jason kicks things off with a few words on Anthony Davis' nasty ankle injury which is likely to sideline him for several weeks – at least. If AD has to miss an extended period of time, the Lakers season is toast; They would be hard-pressed just to make the playoffs. With that in mind, would it be all that surprising if LeBron James decides to shut it down himself so as not to add more miles to his body during a lost season? This is bad news for the Lakers, and it’s bad news for the NBA as a whole. Later, FOX Sports NBA analyst Ric Bucher swings by for a lengthy conversation (which was recorded prior to the AD ankle injury). During the interview, Bucher discusses why he's predicting a Milwaukee Bucks vs. Phoenix Suns rematch in the NBA Finals, why the Suns don't seem to have the national profile that they deserve, Ja Morant's star power and potential to become one of the faces of the League, the Atlanta Hawks' perceived chemistry issues, why it's laughable to say that the Lakers can make a deep playoff run in the Western Conference, why he doesn't think the addition of James Harden instantly makes the Brooklyn Nets the team to beat in the Eastern Conference, why he has Giannis Antetokounmpo as the best player in the NBA, and much more!

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War of Words with Richard Sherman, a Wild NFL Quarterback Trade Proposal & Why the Nets and Lakers' Big Threes Didn't Work Feb 16, 2022

Show notes

On today's episode, Jason continues his war of words with former All-Pro cornerback Richard Sherman over Matthew Stafford's Hall of Fame candidacy. If you just look at the raw numbers Stafford is already on a Hall of Fame trajectory, and we can assume he'll continue to have even more postseason success moving forward now he's with the Los Angeles Rams. What's more, based on Sherman's very specific HOF requirements (All-Pros, Pro Bowls, etc.), guys like Russell Wilson, Eli Manning and Ben Roethlisberger shouldn't be in HOF contention either. And let's be honest, if you don't think any of those 3 guys are deserving of Hall of Fame consideration you're probably just being a hater. Later, Jason floats out a very interesting trade idea involving disgruntled Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray. What if - and hear me out here - the Houston Texans send Deshaun Watson to Arizona for Murray? Kyler would be back in his home state of Texas while the Cardinals would be able to reunite Watson and DeAndre Hopkins. Just some food for thought. Finally, Jason closes the show with a deep dive into the final days of the Brooklyn Nets Big Three of Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving and the ongoing soap opera that exists between the Los Angeles Lakers Big Three of LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook.

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Matthew Stafford is a Hall of Famer, Kyler Murray Fires Back & the Truth About the Tampa Bay Bucs Feb 15, 2022

Show notes

On today's episode, Jason kicks things off by breaking down exactly why Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford should be viewed as a Hall of Fame-level quarterback. Stafford had all-world statistics long before he earned his Super Bowl ring. Moreover, it’s not just that he won the Super Bowl, it’s how he won. It was a fourth quarter comeback in which Stafford threw the game-winning touchdown pass. In fact, Stafford led game-winning drives in his last three playoff games of the season. So when a guy like Richard Sherman comes out and says that Stafford shouldn’t be viewed as a Hall of Famer because he’s never been an All-Pro or an MVP, it should be taken with a grain of salt. Not only did Stafford play in what was arguably the Golden Age of Quarterbacks, but he also played for a terrible Detroit Lions franchise for most of his career. Later, Jason shares his thoughts on Kyler Murray's decision to clap back at anonymous sources claiming that Murray was self-centered. All signs point to the Arizona Cardinals' owner being the one who went to the press, and you have to wonder if these kind of comments will not only hurt his relationship with his franchise quarterback but also prevent them from landing top talent in free agency. Finally, our fearless leader closes the show on the report that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have zeroed in either Russell Wilson or Deshaun Watson as their next quarterback following the retirement of Tom Brady. If I'm Wilson or Watson, I'd explore other options away from Tampa. The Bucs are losing a ton of talent on both sides of the ball.

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Super Bowl 56: Stafford-to-Kupp Saves McVay, the New Championship Blueprint & a Good (Not Great) Halftime Show Feb 14, 2022

Show notes

On today's episode, Jason and Producer Rob G bring you wall-to-wall reaction to the Los Angeles Rams' thrilling victory over the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl 56. Matthew Stafford was fantastic early, brutal in the middle and clutch late in the Rams' win. With Odell Beckham Jr out for most of the game with a knee injury, Cooper Kupp stepped up big down the stretch and walked away with the Super Bowl MVP. Stafford-to-Kupp has been arguably the most lethal combination all season long so it's really no surprise that they connected for the game-winning touchdown in the final minutes. The Rams needed their two stars to shine too given that head coach Sean McVay was mostly bad yet again in a Super Bowl. Were it not for Stafford and Kupp's late-game heroics, we'd probably be talking about how McVay has been brutally out-coached in two straight Rams Super Bowls. If we take a step back and look at the big picture, it's clear that the Rams followed the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' blueprint for winning a Super Bowl: Get a veteran quarterback to lead an already star-studded roster and let him work his magic. Tom Brady did it in 2020, Stafford did it 2021... could Aaron Rodgers do it 2022? The Denver Broncos have arguably the most talented roster in the NFL (outside of the quarterback position), and if they can swing a deal to bring Rodgers to the Mile High City, perhaps they could be the next team to follow the new Super Bowl Blueprint. Finally, the guys close the show by explaining how the Halftime Show featuring Dr Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, 50 Cent, Kendrick Lamar and Mary J Blige is being wildly overrated by fans on social media. Dre and Co. put on a fantastic performance, but it was nowhere close to the greatest halftime show in Super Bowl history.

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James Harden is the Biggest Loser + Super Bowl Prop Bets Feb 11, 2022

Show notes

On today's episode, Jason gets the party started with a deep dive into all the big deals that went down at the NBA Trade Deadline, and none were bigger than the one that saw the Brooklyn Nets send James Harden to the Philadelphia 76ers for Ben Simmons. Simmons and Sixers general manager Daryl Morey are clearly the big winners of the day; Simmons was able to get traded of a toxic situation and on to a team with Kevin Durant, and Morey was able to flip a disgruntled star (who hand't played all season) for a perennial All-NBA player to pair with Joel Embiid. Harden, on the other hand, quit on his second team in as many seasons. Harden has burned bridges with Hall of Fame teammates throughout his NBA career (Dwight Howard, Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook, Kyrie Irving and Durant), and at some point he's going to have to admit that maybe he's the problem; It seems that no matter what he does he'll never be happy. Finally, Jason closes the show with a bang as he gives you fifteen fantastic minutes on all of his favorite Super Bowl prop bets. If you've been listening to the pod at all the last two weeks you know our fearless leader is heavily invested in the Los Angeles Rams beating the Cincinatti Bengals, but wait until you hear about his lucrative player props!

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A New Low for LeBron and the Lakers + Former NFL defensive back Marcus Cromartie Feb 10, 2022

Show notes

On today's episode, Jason kicks things off with a brief thought on the Los Angeles Lakers following their ugly loss to the depleted Portland Trail Blazers. Just when we thought things couldn't get any worse for LeBron James and Anthony Davis, they keep finding new and exciting ways to let their fan base down. If they don't make a major shake-up and Thursday's trade deadline, the Lakers could miss the playoffs altogether. Later, former NFL defensive back and NFL analyst Marcus Cromartie swings by to discuss how he's been recruiting his former college teammate Russell Wilson to join the New Orleans Saints, why he picked Joe Burrow and the Cincinatti Bengals to make the Super Bowl even before the regular season ended, Matthew Stafford's impressive play throughout the postseason thus far, the pros and cons of having Jalen Ramsey shadow Ja'Marr Chase throughout the Super Bowl, which Super Bowl bets and prop bets he likes the most heading into the big game, and much more!

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